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South Africa – Features

To talk or not to talk thats the question

To talk or not to talk, that’s the question

Posted on:  2009-01-06 08:29:42

  While pro-Palestinians have been urging the South African government to cut all diplomatic ties and trade links with Israel in response to the war on Gaza, some social commentators say this would not help the situation since it closes the door to dialogue. It has become the centre of a continuing local debate on the issue with other commentators vehemently objecting to continuing ties between the two countries.

Speaking to VOC last week, founder of the Gift of the Givers (Waqful Waqifin) humanitarian organization, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said while it was understandable why Muslims became emotional about the Palestinian crisis, it appeared to be a concern that did not extend to non-Muslims. When other communities are affected, he said, Muslims tended to take an ostrich approach by burying their heads in the sand.

 

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Two sa workers detained intervene ronnie Kasrils

Two SA workers detained  

25 August 2008

INTERVENE: Ronnie Kasrils. 
 
Muslim body wants Kasrils to intervene

There was still no word on Saturday why two South African Islamic relief workers had been detained in Uganda, a spokesman for their families said.

Yousha Tayob said they had been informed by the Ugandan authorities that Mufti Hussain Bhayat and Haroon Saley were being detained, but they did not know why.

“We are trying to establish consular access and that will tell us everything we need to know,” the spokesman said. “We have been given no official reason.”

The two were reportedly detained early on Monday morning during a stopover at Entebbe International Airport, in Kampala, Uganda.

Uganda’s New Vision online newspaper said they were taken for questioning by a joint anti-terrorism task force.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) believes they are being subjected to Islamaphobic profiling and the MJC and Media Review Network want Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils to intervene.

The two work for Crescent of Hope, an Islamic organisation that does charitable and relief work.

They had made the stopover in Uganda on their way home to South Africa from Kenya. – Sapa

(Sowetan)

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The plunder of Iraqs oil

By James Cogan

(source: World Socialist Website)

The awarding of development rights over the huge West Qurna oilfield in southern Iraq to Exxon-Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell last Thursday once again underscores the criminal character of the continuing US-led occupation. As the direct result of the Iraq war, major American and other transnational energy conglomerates are now gaining control over some the largest oilfields in the world.

West Qurna has proven reserves of 8.7 billion barrels of oil. Iraq’s total reserves are currently put at 115 billion barrels, though dozens of potential fields have not been explored adequately. Before the US invasion in 2003, rights over West Qurna had been awarded by the Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein to the Russian oil firm, Lukoil. The pro-US puppet regime in Baghdad has torn up all pre-war contracts.

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